Electric switch



Jan. 17

1,479,289 J. J. DUCK ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 1-9. 1917 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 a: I E as l4 as Is v @(H :0 F 12 32 m: 7 l 5 o o 1 g 5 3 n ucnfo'c Patented Jan. 1, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN J. DUCK, F TOLEDO, @310.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed November 19, 1917.

To all 'IIF'I om it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN J. DUCK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Toledo, Lucas County, Ohio, have invented new and useful Electric Switches, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric switches, particularly of the quick throw type.

This invention has utility in its general 0 adaptation, especially for compact grouping of switches even in standard boxes.

Referring to the drawin s:

Fig. l is a plan view 0 a pair of quick throw switches in accordance with the invention showing the assembly thereof in a single housin chamber in the space usual for but a sing e switch;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIII, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow, one of the push buttons being shown depressed,

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the device grouping of Fig. 1, the floor of'the housing bein removed and one of the transverse mem ers having its elements in section;

Fig. 4 is a section, partially on the line VIVI, Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of .the release device for the quick throw action of the switch;

Fig. 6 is a detail in side elevation of the ratchet, or step by step rotation drive feature.

Fig. 7 is scale of one of aside elevation on an enlarged theswitches of Fig. 2; and

Fig: 8 is a section on the line -Vlll,

Fig. l.

The housing 1 of insulation material, as

a porcelain unit or fibre may be of form and contour for mounting in standard boxes by screws throu h the holes 2 in the cross clip or guide 3, w iich guide 3 is anchored to the housing by the screws =4. A usual plate or shield may serve as a flush closure by having its screws engage the openings 5. Such plate is provided with openings registering with the openings 6' in the guide 3 for the push buttons 7, 8.

Each push button is provided with an oil'- set or curved extension or stem 9 carrying the pivot in 10. The pivot pin 10 is engaged by t e link 11 loosely mounted on the shaft 12. In the grouping of the two switches, one shaft 12 has the mounting Serial No. 202,730.

bracket 13 and the other has the mountin bracket 14 seating over the bracket 13, and the two anchored in position to the guide or member 3 by the pair of screws 15.

The pin 10 has mounted loosely thereon between the extension 9 and the link or arm 11, the pawl 16, normally thrown by the spring 17 touide upon the ratchet wheel 18 fast on the shaft 12. A torsion spring 19 in the form of a spiral is about the shaft 12 with one end thereof engaging the link 11 and the other end thereof engaging the mounting bracket 13 or 14 for the particular shaft 12. This torsion spring 19 normall resets the push buttons 7, 8, causing sucii push buttons when depressed and released automatically to return to outwardly projectcd og initial position.

The shaft 12 has a pair of flattened portions 20, Fig. 5, embraced by a cam 21 and serving to lock such cam for rotation with the shaft 12. The cam 21 is disposed in the slot 22 of the rock arm 22 having the pivot bearing 21 mounted eccent'rically in the disk or member 25. This member 25, loosely mounted on the shaft 12 is connected by the torsion spring 26 and key 27 to be placed in action upon upward thrust of a push button to rotate a shaft 12, the spring 26 is at once laced under torsion, for the member 25 is held from rotation by the member 23 having its dog 28 engage the teeth of the fast toothed member 29 as a ratchet fixed with the bracket 13 or 14, and accordin ly held from rotation with the shaft 12. l owcver in this action of the push button in rotating the shaft 12, the cam 21 is gradually shifting the rock arm or member 23, so that a )proximately just before full thrust inwar of the push button, the dog 28 clears the four toothed ratchet 29 and the winding up of the spring 26 effects a quick throw 0 the member 25. The member 25 has a pair of diametrically spared outwardly projecting arms 30 having thereon insulation 31 carrying clear from shaft 12 and the moving parts a pair of opposing diametrically extending spring fingers 82 as switch closing elements.

The switch closing electricity ronducting elements 32 may operate on diametrically disposed terminals 33 as an independent complete single pole switch. A terminal ilt) ltlll 33 may be disposed to have a terminal 34 opposite thereto carrying a supplemental terminal 35 at 90 therefrom in the path of the elements 32, Diametrically as to the terminal 35 the disposal of a terminal 36 permits the elements 32 in their step by step rotation to engage terminals at each step, as in a three point switch. Accordingly, so far as the push button, and the parts moved thereby, the elements for electric control may be diiierent or similar types of switches in the common standard size housin say two single pole switches. a singlc po e and a three Way switch, or even two three Way switches.

\Vith any of the above combinations of switches in the single housing chamber, there is but the simple or single pair of push buttons occupying but the usual single 0x wall space. There is accordingly economy in box expense as well as plates, with the range of possibilities for equipment selection 1n the box as broad as if two boxes were used, or a double box with double plate. 1

Considering the thrust direction of the push button as its axis, and looking at the push button from its end of the grouping toward the center of the grou ing pair, the mounting of the driven mem er and its coasting parts to be actuated is inthe upper left hand quadrant. The shaft 12 is paral lel to the crosswise extending side of the quadrant and extends toward the other side of the quadrant. This semi-symmetrical disposition of the driven member in its extent transversely of its aotuatin member or pushbutton, readily lends itse changeab'ility of' the (push button sets As th push button an actuated member are in i entical sets as to structure, except for the brackets 13, 14, there is great manufacturin advantage in thus reducing the kinds 0 sets to one for the full range of installations. The electric current carrying terminals and elements are as remotely dises the full limit of the housing permitaand the electrical safety is at a maximum. Even with the range of terminals and utilities, there is no crowding or en-.

croachment of one set andits terminals upon the other set'and its separate terminals. Each switch is independent of the other in its installation, structure and operdtion. This means that terminals of 0 posite polarities may be used with two sing a pole switches.

to inter What is claimed and it is desired to se cure by Letters Patent is:

1. In electric switch structures, a housing providing an oblong chamber, a push button mounted to operate in the chamber centrally of an end thereof, a driven member, actuating means from the push button to the member, a button guiding link between the button and member in addition to said actuating means, and mounting means for the driven member, said driven member being positioned by said housing on one side of a diameter of the housing through the button, whereby said structure may be placed in either of two positions in said housing, the button in one osition being s seed from that of the other position, wit the driven member oppositely disposed and aligned in one position as to the other position.

2. A switch housing, a mounting plate for the housing extending across the housing, guide opening through the mounting plate, bracket means anchored by the mountmg plate and providing bearings transverse y of the housing between the guide openings, a push button mountable in either guide opening, shaft means mountable in one bearing to align with the other bearing as an independent bilateralconstruction as to such other bearing, a link between said ush button and the shaft means for directing push button travel, a ratchet wheel on the shaft means, and a dog carried by the push button to actuate said ratchet wheel.

3. A switch housin a mounting late for the housing exten ing across the ousing, adjacent parallel guide openings through the mounting plate, bracket means anchored by the mbunting-plate and oppositely extendin to provide bearin transversely of t e housing between t e guide openings, a air of terminals eccentrically of each aring, and duplicate switch actuators one for each bearing andits pair of terminals, each actuator including a push button, shaft means, and termina coacting means, one of said push buttons being mounted in one of said guide openwas and the other push button being mount in the other guide 0 ening, and one shaft means being mountefi in one beari V and the other shaft means being mounte 'n the other bearing. I A

In w tness whereof I allix my signature.

Joan J. buss. 

